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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
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Sports

Thursday, August 13, 1998

Flock of Eagles prepare for scrimmages


PECOS, Aug. 13 -- The Pecos Eagles volleyball team will be
trying to get a lot of players a little playing time this
weekend, when they hold their two preseason scrimmages
before the beginning of regular season play next Tuesday.

The Eagles will be at home on Friday, starting a 4:30 p.m.,
to scrimmage a trio of Class A volleyball teams in Fort
Davis, Grandfalls and Wink. Then on Saturday, Pecos will
travel to Monahans to scrimmages against the Loboettes,
Odessa Permian Panthers and Kermit Yellowjackets.

With their season openers against Alpine and Odessa High
less than a week away, Eagles' coach Becky Granado will be
looking at 15 players seeking to make her varsity squad. JV
coach Veronica Valenzuela will be looking at 17 sophomore
pleyers during the scrimmages, while freshman coach Lily
Talamantez has about 40 ninth graders competing for spots on
the purple and gold squads.

The teams will rotate facing each other during the
scrimmage, with the varsity teams going first, followed by
the JVs in the new Pecos High School gym, while the freshman
squads play in the old gym.

Injuries shelve Lett, Sanders for preseason


By CHRIS NEWTON
Associated Press Writer
WICHITA FALLS, Aug. 13 -- Every year, a few lucky second and
third stringers get the chance to fill in for an ailing
starter in the preseason and prove their mettle.

This season, Dallas Cowboys defensive backs Michael Myers
and Darren Benson will get their shot.

The giant vaccuum created by Tuesday night's injury of star
defensive tackle Leon Lett has given the backups more
chances to take the field.

Myers, who will now be the first string tackle in Lett's
absence, said he's not taking the assignment lightly.

``I'm ready to step in and do my job,'' Myers said. ``This
is what we train for. If this happened during the season I
would have to step in, so I'm anxious to show I can do it.''

Cowboys coaches say Lett's injury does have a silver lining.

Defensive coordinator Dave Campo said he'll now have a
better chance to evaluate Myers, a fourth-round draft pick
from Alabama and fourth-year player Darren Benson.

``Myers will step in and we'll get a better chance to see
what he can do,'' Campo said. ``I'm starting to feel good
about our tackles. We've got some good personnel.''

Campo said that he expects to see Myers prove he deserves
the team's top spot.

``He's a gamer ... he really brings all he has to the game,
but I think we'll see him bring some of that intensity to
practice now,'' Campo said.

The temporary opening will also heighten the competition
between Myers and Benson.

``We've got a friendly rivalry going,'' Myers said. ``He
pushes me and I push him ... there's always going to be
competition.''

The void in the Cowboys defense was created when Lett
sprained his left knee in Tuesday night's scrimmage in New
Orleans. The injury could keep him out of the season opener
against Arizona on Sept. 6, but will not require surgery.

Coach Chan Gailey said Wednesday that an MRI confirmed the
original diagnosis of a minor sprain to the medial
collateral ligament.

``I'm glad it wasn't as bad as it could have been,'' Gailey
said. ``Anytime you can avoid a major deal ... you feel
fortunate.''

Ryan watches Johnson blank Brewers


HOUSTON, Aug. 13 (AP) -- Randy Johnson put on quite a show
for an appreciative crowd of 40,217 and mentor Nolan Ryan.

With Ryan cheering along with the rest of the crowd, Johnson
pitched his second straight shutout with 13 strikeouts as
the Houston Astros beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-0 Wednesday
night.

``I saw him on the big screen with his wife Ruth,'' Johnson
said. ``It was a pleasant surprise to see. He means a great
deal to my success. He helped me out when he was with the
Texas Rangers.

``That's one reason if I can ever help anyone, I'll always
do it.''

Along with the five-hitter, Johnson (3-0) also got his first
major league RBI in leading the Astros to their sixth
straight win.

Johnson's 13 strikeouts were the most by a Houston pitcher
this season. He had 12 in his first Astros start.

He also tied Sandy Koufax for second place on the career
list for 10-plus strikeout games with 97 -- Ryan leads with
215 -- and he joined in a standing ovation for Johnson at
the final out.

Johnson made his third start since Houston got him in a
trade with Seattle. He gave up five hits, walked two and
lowered his ERA to 0.72 for the Astros. He was 9-10 with a
4.33 ERA with Mariners.

``Nolan Ryan didn't have to take time to help me, but he
did,'' Johnson said. ``In 1993, I worked on my mechanics
with him and (Texas pitching coach) Tom House. It was very
influential in working the problems I had with the everyday
grind.''

Astros manager Larry Dierker said Johnson wasn't at his
best, but the Brewers didn't see much drop-off.

``He was throwing strikes and that's half the battle,''
Cirillo said. ``He moved the ball around and mixed his
pitches. He didn't show any kind of pattern, he pitched me
different than in the past. If he keeps pitching like that,
he is going to like the NL.''

Johnson struck out the side twice in the game, and fanned
Jeff Cirillo for his 13th strikeout to start the ninth.
Cirillo was ejected for arguing, and Brewers manager Phil
Garner was ejected for the second straight day when he
joined the dispute.

Johnson picked up a 6-2 victory over Pittsburgh in his first
start and blanked Philadelphia 9-0 in his first Astrodome
start on Friday.

In the sixth, the Big Unit earned a standing ovation when he
hit a full-count pitch from reliever Eric Plunk into
right-center field for a single that scored Richard Hidalgo
from third base.

Johnson bunted into a double play in the fourth inning and
wanted a chance to make up for it. He did with his RBI
single to right-center field in the sixth.

``I know they were walking guys to get to me because they
say I can't hit,' Johnson said. ``After I screwed up the
bunt, I told Dierker I'd do something to make up for it.''

Prior to Johnson's hitting feat, Craig Biggio gave the
Astros a 2-0 lead. He hit a solo homer in the third, his
13th, and added an RBI single in the fourth inning.

The Astros pulled off an unusual double play in the fourth
inning when Darrin Jackson flied out to right fielder Derek
Bell. Cirillo overran second base on the play and failed to
touch second on his way back to first and was called out on
appeal.

Brad Woodall (5-7) pitched five innings for the loss.



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Copyright 1998 by Pecos Enterprise